Centralised collective bargaining model alive and well in Finland

(Helsinki 01.12.2003 - Leena Seretin) The Finnish labour market consensus is the envy of many other countries in Europe. "The centralised collective bargaining model is quite alive and well," says research manager Timo Kauppinen of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in Dublin.

The labour market organisations in Finland reached a calm accord on the future of the pension system, which the national government then approved. At the same time future pensioners have quite often taken to the streets in massive rallies and fiercely opposed pension reforms in the older European countries such as Germany and France, even though here, too, such adjustments must be made.

Timo Kauppinen regards the pension reform as an excellent example of the vitality of the Finnish labour market model, and of how well it is able to guide progress to satisfy future needs.

Read more about the Finnish agreement model on Trade Union News from Finland. The article was originally published in Ahjo 19-2003. Ahjo is the magazine of the Finnish Metalworkers' union.